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Re: Colin Firth to play Donald Crowhurst

Originally Posted by Andrew Craig-Bennett

I have odd feelings about this film. I expect that Colin Firth will play Crowhurst very well, but I am not at all sure that I want to see it.

I don't want to see the movie. I just got through a phase of reading and learning about the Golden Globe race. Last year, while on vacation, I read "A Voyage for Madmen". I recently finished Sir Robin Knox-Johnston's book on his part of the race. I watched the documentary Deep Water, I don't think I can sit through a movie on Crowhurst. Way too tragic for me.

Re: Colin Firth to play Donald Crowhurst

Originally Posted by peb

I just got through a phase of reading and learning about the Golden Globe race. Last year, while on vacation, I read "A Voyage for Madmen". I recently finished Sir Robin Knox-Johnston's book on his part of the race. I watched the documentary Deep Water, I don't think I can sit through a movie on Crowhurst. Way too tragic for me.

Crowhurst (In my opinion) knew shortly after he start the race that it was too much for himself. His boat wasn't designed for such a huge challenge (so was Tetley's trimaran). Donald was ''chasing money'', struggling very hard to stabilize his electronics business and family income.

This race, The Golden Globe Challenge was a monster. Two sailors only (total: 9 boats) had the right boat, Robin Knox Johnston and Bernard Moitessier.

Re: Colin Firth to play Donald Crowhurst

Originally Posted by sailcanoefan

Crowhurst (In my opinion) knew shortly after he start the race that it was too much for himself. His boat wasn't designed for such a huge challenge (so was Tetley's trimaran). Donald was ''chasing money'', struggling very hard to stabilize his electronics business and family income.

This race, The Golden Globe Challenge was a monster. Two sailors only (total: 9 boats) had the right boat, Robin Knox Johnston and Bernard Moitessier.

Nobody has the right to judge Donald Crowhusrt. He did it to himself.

I tend to agree with your last statement, certainly as relates to his final demise. Having had a close family member suffer through severe depression that can only be described as ultimate despair, I can only imagine how Crowhurst's mental state failed him (especially being all alone).

On the other hand, we all judge his actions leading up to the despair, for example when you say: Donald was ''chasing money''. Maybe we shouldn't, but we do. Is it even reasonable for a man with four small children to take on that race? It seems to me that one gives up such adventures when one says "I do".

Regardless, it is not for judging Crowhurst that I do not want to watch the movie, its just the degree of tragedy. Nothing made up or make believe about it, it is heartbreaking.

On the other hand, I would love to see a movie made about Knox Johnston's voyage.

Re: Colin Firth to play Donald Crowhurst

Originally Posted by peb

.... I would love to see a movie made about Knox Johnston's voyage.

Imagine a movie like this: ''The 1968 Golden Globe Challenge''
An epic adventure of 9 sailors around the world, non stop - no assistance..
9 actors representing 9 sailors!!!!
Including moments of feeling from each of them....wow!!!

This movie with Colin Firth is mostly base upon Donald Crowhurst, including few cameo of Moitessier, Knox-Johnston and others.
I will watch this movie, I'm curious!!!

Re: Colin Firth to play Donald Crowhurst

Originally Posted by Andrew Craig-Bennett

I have odd feelings about this film. I expect that Colin Firth will play Crowhurst very well, but I am not at all sure that I want to see it.

I know what you mean. I found the (excellent) book 'The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst' quite disturbing, highlighting as it did that the risks involved in singlehanding are not merely physical. In a funny sort of way it ended my youthful state of invulnerability when I realised it could quite possibly happen to me. I gave up dreaming of long singlehanded passages after that.

Re: Colin Firth to play Donald Crowhurst

When these films are shot the word goes out for owners of stuff fitting into the film to have there stuff hired. I remember when, Legends of the Fall was shot here old cars etc that would fit in 1920's Helena Montana scenes were hired, one was brought about 2,500 miles from Manitoba.
So when Mercy was shooting in Devon England I would expect that they needed 1968 boats, (wooden) to fill the harbour.
Did any boats belonging forum folk get in the picture. If so, post a photo so we can try and spot it when we're watching.
Hope it wasn't all CGI.

Re: Colin Firth to play Donald Crowhurst

Originally Posted by sailcanoefan

Imagine a movie like this: ''The 1968 Golden Globe Challenge''
An epic adventure of 9 sailors around the world, non stop - no assistance..
9 actors representing 9 sailors!!!!
Including moments of feeling from each of them....wow!!!

This movie with Colin Firth is mostly base upon Donald Crowhurst, including few cameo of Moitessier, Knox-Johnston and others.
I will watch this movie, I'm curious!!!

"
Based on your post, I hope that you have read "Voyage for Madmen" because your synopsis accurately describes the book. In many ways, I think it is a better book than the main one of Crowhurst. It is all too easy to overlook the challenges faced by these nine competitors compared to the far more benign challenges of today's participants in these events. The global ocean and its weather was still a virtual unknown and daily decisions were made with little knowledge of what can now be had by anyone at the press of a button.

Re: Colin Firth to play Donald Crowhurst

Originally Posted by Tom Lathrop

"
Based on your post, I hope that you have read "Voyage for Madmen" because your synopsis accurately describes the book.

No I haven't read ''Voyage for Madmen'' But I've read other stuff, like Bernard Moitessier's book ''La Longue Route'' (The Long Way), and watched the movie ''The Deep'', describing the Golden Globe Challenge, Crowhurst is highlighted in this documentary, a must to see.

Read enough about this and watched the documentary,. I still don't think I want to see it. I am not opposed to a sad tragic story every now and then, but the better this one is made, the harder it will be to watch.

Re: Colin Firth to play Donald Crowhurst

Originally Posted by peb

Read enough about this and watched the focimentary,. I still don't think I want to see it. I am not opposed to a sad tragic story every now and then, but the better this one is made, the harder it will be to watch.

Wait ... they're also reproducing a Suhaili class for the 2022 race! Good grief!!

The guy that should have won the race really was Nigel Tetley. There's so little written about him. He pushed his trimaran too hard as he was responding to Crowhurst's false reports. Had he known that Crowhurst was lying, he'd have run a more conservative race and most likely made it in well ahead of anyone else. He suicided not long after the race. I think it's a much more tragic story than Crowhurst's. He had a better boat, was better prepared, made no false claims and was a good sailor.

Re: Colin Firth to play Donald Crowhurst

Originally Posted by RFNK

Glad they didn't choose Suhaili! RKJ - great sailor but what a boat!

Wait ... they're also reproducing a Suhaili class for the 2022 race! Good grief!!

The guy that should have won the race really was Nigel Tetley. There's so little written about him. He pushed his trimaran too hard as he was responding to Crowhurst's false reports. Had he known that Crowhurst was lying, he'd have run a more conservative race and most likely made it in well ahead of anyone else. He suicided not long after the race. I think it's a much more tragic story than Crowhurst's. He had a better boat, was better prepared, made no false claims and was a good sailor.

Rick

I'm glad that you mentioned Tetley. How different things would have been for him had his boat not let him down.
It's hard to imagine sailing solo around the southern capes in a 1960's plywood trimaran. It's equally hard to believe where we are today when last week someone sailed solo over 850 miles in one day at an average of 35 knots. I think that the most interesting thing about re-running the Golden Globe is that it will be a reminder of how far we have come in a relatively short time. Not that I want to race around the world....

Re: Colin Firth to play Donald Crowhurst

The book has been released again in paperback.
Since I've been harpin' about it since I began this thread, (3 years ago!), I figured that I should read it. Finished it two nights ago.
A troubled man I must say.

Re: Colin Firth to play Donald Crowhurst

Originally Posted by goodbasil

The book has been released again in paperback.
Since I've been harpin' about it since I began this thread, (3 years ago!), I figured that I should read it. Finished it two nights ago.
A troubled man I must say.

Re: Colin Firth to play Donald Crowhurst

Bankrupted the family too. Knox Johnston donated his prizemoney to the family. Crowhurst was pressured by contractual arrangements but he did make the contract. Butvwe're all a long way from the man - who knows what really drove him?